100 Days to Dance
by Zylvia
Summary: - AU (Clary doesn't exist) - When Ryse Lovell storms into Jace's life, he's swept off his feet in more ways than one. However, a grisly accident steals all happy endings from their future and leaves his love with only 100 days to live. Jace is devastated, but determined to make the best of it. To what lengths will he go to make their last days extraordinary? The clock is ticking.
1. Prologue

**100 Days to Dance**

Hey, guys! Just wanted to part a few words before we head on to the story..

First things first, I suppose. This is my first fanfiction, so please be considerate :) I would love some criticism and feedback so please so message me, rate and definitely leave a review! ^^

Secondly, I thought I'd explain the plot in a little further detail since the summary restricted me to very little -_-" Before we go any further though, I'd just like to point out that I'm fairly new to the world of Shadowhunters and the Mortal Instruments series. I've only started reading "City of Glass" yesterday o.o I'm going to try getting through it as quickly as I can, but please do forgive my ignorance until then /bows/

Anyways, so as a reminder, Clary doesn't exist in this story. I love her, but ... I love Ryse (an OC) just a little, tiny bit more, haha! I'll explain how Jace met Ryse and what the "gruesome accident" is, I promise. All in due time, my lovelies. The story's going to be told via a series of one-shots that all link together. It's a little hard to explain on paper, but you'll understand when a few more chapters come out ^^" It's rated "T" just in case :)

Enough with my babbling, on with the story!

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**Prologue**

**Winds of Change**

"Jace," Isabelle whispered, placing a scarred hand gently upon his shoulders in a futile attempt to comfort her adoptive brother. Of course, the blonde male being as stubborn and tough as he was, didn't allow even a sliver of emotion to penetrate his mask. Worry creased the young woman's brow; her lips pursed into a thin, white line of anxiety. "Jace-" she tried again, only to be stopped short by his sharp golden glare. Unwillingly, she flinched. In all her years, she'd never seen him look so ... She struggled to find the word before settling on 'broken.' But of course, Jace still managed to pull a tight smile and hide the feelings she'd only been able to detect thanks to seven years of familiarity.

"Izzy," he said by way of greeting. "What brings you here?" His voice was tight, stretched to the edges of his patience. If she didn't know better, she'd have said he looked almost feral, like a golden lion about to strike down its prey. Within moments, however, the flash of danger was gone, replaced only by his trademark icy calm.

A wave of fire washed over the raven-haired teen. "What do you mean what brings me here?" she demanded, with an edge to her voice Jace had learnt defined the rebellious girl. "I came here to check up on you, of course." Softening up, she removed her hand from behind her back, revealing a brilliant red apple, reflecting the white light of the infirmary. "Here," she said, holding it out to her brother. "I thought you might be hungry. After all, you've been cooped up in here for days."

With a stiffness unusual for the lithe Shadowhunter, Jace took the apple with a grateful glance. And set it down on the bedside table. Isabelle frowned. "I brought it here for you to eat, Jace," she said. "Please-"

"I'm not hungry, Izzy," the blonde male voiced, reaching over to take her pale hand - Ryse's hand. With a soft sigh, Isabelle Lightwood fixated her blue gaze on the young woman resting in the infirmary bed. Her breathing came in shallow gasps and her expression wasn't one of peaceful slumber as one might expect. No, it was troubled, frightened even, as though she were battling against demons within. Isabelle's expression darkened. Tentatively, she said, "It's been two weeks already. Do you think... Do you think she's going to wake up?"

Jace ripped his gaze from Ryse's comatose body. Golden met azure in an understanding, in a mutual hope, a shared wish. Knowing that her brother probably needed time alone, the teenager strode away from the quiet room, but not before bidding him a genuinely caring parting.

"I'll come back to see you in the morning, Jace. Take care of yourself until then." She was almost gone when she paused, as if remembering something, and poked her head back in. "Alec's worried sick as well. I'll tell him to swing by in the morning too." With that, the Lightwood left, leaving Jace alone with Ryse's unconscious frame.

He heaved a sigh and laced his thin, bony fingers behind his head. The setting sun cast a warm, pinkish glow around the room, giving it an almost mystical feel, as if something magical might take place. The dim rays touched his molten gold eyes to a deep, rich sandy yellow. "You know," he whispered to the air, closing his eyes to the sunset. "They all think you're a goner. Or at least stuck in this coma for a good long while. But that's not true is it?" He leaned forward then and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. It was callused and rough against her smooth, milky white skin. Though he sounded affirmative, there was a certain desperation and doubt laced within his words, carefully hidden such that no one - except maybe Isabelle and Alec - could trace.

A soft groaning snapped his eyes wide open. His expression was unreadable - somewhere between disbelief, relief and raw hope. Almost fearfully, he said her name. Another soft, almost inaudible groan. If it weren't for his sharp hearing as an enhanced entity, he might not have heard the moan at all. Another call of her name.

Fingers shaking for the first time outside the heat of battle, he took her hand once more in his, lacing their fingers together. Minutes passed, without any other signs that the young woman was on the verge of awakening. Jace's hopes dashed, but he didn't let go. _Don't give up_, he thought. Words evaded him and his voice was lost. _I'm waiting for you._

Fingers clenched weakly around his own. Eyes rounding to the size of dinner platters, he glanced down and gently gripped back. His hopes soared once more. _That's right_, he thought triumphantly. _I'm waiting. You'd better come back._

He waited, patiently, like a golden retriever eagerly waiting for his owner, his best friend, to come home. However, no such luck. The room fell silent once more, disturbed only by the occasional cawing of a crow in the distance. _Come on. Don't insult me like this._

Seconds ran into minutes and still, no further signs that revitalized his dying hopes. His shoulders sagged visibly. His eyes lost their sheen and dulled. Jace slumped back in the uncomfortable chair, her hand still interconnected with his. Even if she was truly a goner, he would always believe in her strength to come back. _Because that's just who you are._

As if she heard his thoughts, the young woman's eyes danced wildly behind her eyelids. Her eyebrows were knit into a delicate frown; her body soaked through with cold sweat. A name escaped her dry, cracked lips. Again, she whispered the name. And again. And again.

"Jace."

Her voice rose with every choke of the name, desperate and breathless. Her body arched off the bed, as though electricity coursed through every vein within her being. Her small hands clenched around Jace's in an iron grip, crushing, grinding, his slender fingers together. Worry and hope flooded the blonde boy's face as he rose from the chair, body stiff and sore from having been there so long. He leaned over the young woman, casting her in his elongated shadow.

And that's when her eyes fluttered open, like a butterfly opening its wings for the first time. Her soft brown orbs were unfocused, staring off emptily into his own pools of yellow. Slowly, they sharpened and adjusted to the dim light, focusing on the lean figure leaning over the bed, on the expression plastered on the face, on the person she'd been calling for, been dying to see again.

"Jace," she croaked out, breaking out into a weak smile. Relief and pure joy conquered Jace's features. All his sarcasm and wit died in his throat. Struggling for the words to say, the young Shadowhunter simply gazed down at his love. A broad grin splintered his lips.

"By the Angel," he finally managed. "It sure took you long enough to flutter those eyelids open. I think I've aged twenty years."

The girl managed to crack a small chuckle. "You're right," she gasped out. Her throat was burning with thirst and her head spun from hunger, but she didn't care. She was here, with him, and it was all that mattered in the moment. "I think I see wrinkles."

He laughed then. A spirit-lifting sound. Laughter. "I've been waiting for you, Lovell," he sang, touching his forehead to hers.

"You mean 'Ryse'," she said out of habit, gazing deeply into his eyes and knowing, within her soul, that everything would work out somehow - even if it perhaps wasn't the way they'd planned it out.

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And, that's it for this time, folks! ^^ Please rate, review and feel free to drop a message :) Anything is welcome; I can't wait to hear from you! ^^

- Zy


	2. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! Here's the first chapter :) Or rather "Day 1" as I'm going to call it. Anyways, I kind of rushed through this chapter, so it's a little on the short side, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. I will probably update it later. Jace, I feel, is slightly out of character here, but I tried o.o

Anyhow, rate, review and please do drop a message! :) Anything is highly appreciated ^^ Thanks!

Now, on with the story!

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**Day 1**

**Walking on Sunshine**

Ryse awoke to the gentle chirping of birds and the soothing rays of sunlight peeking in through the half-shut blinds. It was a beautiful day; the small square of sky the window allowed was a light, piercing blue dotted here and there with drifts of cloud. She could see the lawn of the Institute: green and lush and healthy. With a pang, she was reminded of Idris, of Alicante, of her home. It'd been so long since she'd last been to the City of Glass, but every minute detail of the grand city was still etched into her mind's eye: the majestic glass towers, the heavy wards, the dangerous Lake Lyn. Locking her homesickness away, Ryse averted her chocolate gaze from the scenery, focusing instead on the interior of the room. _My room._

It was simple, with only the basic necessities. The walls were painted a soothing baby blue and a poster of _Bleach_ hung proudly on the far wall. A mahogany cupboard rested in the corner, kept company by an empty dressing table. She'd never really been one for make-up and fancy clothes. Isabelle, however, had drilled some basic fashion sense into her otherwise male clothing preferences. _Green brings out my eyes,_ she thought absently. Dust motes waltzed lazily in the air as she yawned shamelessly.

"Easy there, tiger," a familiar voice reprimanded mockingly from the doorway. "That's very poor manners for such a young lady." She didn't even need to see him to know that soothing voice, that cocky attitude, that ever-present sarcasm. She didn't even need to see him to know that there was a smirk undoubtedly carved into those sharp features. She didn't even need to see him to know that it was the one person she loved more words could express - Jace.

Deciding he shouldn't be the only one allowed to have his way with witty words, Ryse shot back, "Poor manners is barging into a young lady's room without even so much as a knock, dear gentleman. Or is 'pervert' a better word?" She remained sprawled out on the bed, legs tangled up in the warm duvet, as his footsteps drew close. They came to an abrupt halt by the edge of the bed. Silence ensued.

Confused, she blinked her eyes open and was met with beautiful golden pools. They were playful and caught the early morning light as though a fire burned just behind them, illuminating them from inside out. Swift as a cat, he raised his hand and made as if to flick her forehead, only to be stopped by her hand that caught at his wrist.

"Domestic abuse much?" Ryse quirked an eyebrow, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Domestic abuse all the way," Jace affirmed, pushing past her restraining arm and flicking her forehead anyway. His trademark smirk was plastered on his face. "'Sexy', 'Irresistible', 'Dangerous'," he listed off, looking thoughtful. "'Nice' isn't exactly in my array of middle names."

Ryse snorted. "You're pronouncing the words wrong," she corrected, looking as mischievous as she'd always been. "You mean to say 'Irksome', 'Sarcastic', 'Foolhardy.'"

He shot her a mock glare before seating himself comfortably on the edge of the bed, his fingers drumming the mattress absently. "How are you feeling?" Ever since Magnus had informed them of her 'condition', the adopted Lightwood had been asking her that question almost day and night. It was uncharacteristic to see him display his worry so blatantly, but a part of Ryse was glad that he was finally being more open about how he genuinely felt behind those golden eyes. Of course though, this side of Jace was exclusive only to the Lovell female. To everyone else, he was still the tough, sarcastic prodigy they all knew and loved - or rather, half loved. The other half most likely wanted to punch him in the face most of the time.

She sat up and propped herself up against the headboard. Placing a gentle hand on his arm, she whispered, "I'm fine, Jace. Today's just the beginning. We still have plenty of time." She tried her best to sound reassuring, to sound unruffled. But she was sure that the misery in Jace's expression was reflected in her own. He was quiet a long while before finally breaking the engulfing silence with, "You're right. We'll just have to make the best of it while the clock's ticking. Come on, get dressed. We're heading out." He stood up and strode towards the door, giving her the privacy to get herself presentable.

"Where?" the raven-haired girl asked just as Jace was about to shut the door.

The corners of his lips lifted into a tight smile. "A magician never reveals his secrets."

The door clicked shut, leaving the young Lovell to ponder on his parting words. _Such a mystery, as always_, she thought, swinging her legs off the bed.

Surprises and secrets had never really worked out well for her, but..

_I suppose some things can use a little changing._

_Like my pajamas._

A quarter of an hour later, Ryse stepped out of the shower looking like a wet, sopping mess. Not exactly what one might expect, but then again, she never had lived up to expectations. Her jet black hair tumbled down in tangled knots around her shoulders, rivulets of water streaking down her half exposed back. Her eyes stung and, upon looking in the full body mirror on the wall just beside her wardrobe, she realized that they were bloodshot and honestly pretty scary. "Stupid shampoo," she cursed, flinging back strands of her fringe with mild irritation.

She flung open the doors of her cupboard, distractedly raking through the small stack of clothes for something decent to throw on. She frowned. Most of her clothes had been lost during the accident and without having gotten the chance to replace her inventory, she'd been left with no more than three pairs of jeans and maybe seven tops at best - whatever she'd managed to stuff into her duffel bag just before things had taken a swerve for the worst.

Sighing dejectedly, she threw on jeans and a purple tank top. Nothing spectacular. If Isabelle saw her, she'd definitely have a fit. She grimaced at the thought.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Ryse said, swinging the door closed behind her. Jace was leaned against the wall in the brightly lit corridor of the Institute, eyes closed, arms crossed. Now, he popped one golden eye open lazily, like a feline might, and peeled himself off the floral wallpaper. "Living with you has made it one of my specialties," he teased with his usual dose of humor. "Unfortunately."

Ryse rolled her eyes and together, the two made their way down the carpeted corridor. "So," the girl drawled, trying her luck at perhaps getting the male to trip up in his secrecy. Though, knowing Jace, it was bound to end in her downfall. But trying never hurt, right? "Where'd you mention we were headed to again? Should I grab my blindfold?"

"Only if you want it to be that way. Let me guess, you fantasize about kidnapping, don't you? I'll tell you now; I've got some great kidnappers on my speed dial. I could call in a favor for you sometime," he said, punching the button to call the creaky, old elevator.

"That sounds great," Ryse said, playing along. Fooling around like this was the norm for them and she'd come to grow fond of these silly moments. Life as a Shadowhunter could get rough with the consistent danger, the ferocity of battle and the countless Laws of the Clave. It was only through moments like these that she felt in any aspect normal, like a mundane. She knew how disregarding her kind were of normalcy, of how the they loved the thrill and heat of the fight - Jace more so than most - but she guessed she was different in that sense. "I'm free all afternoon tomorrow; do you think you could arrange for a kidnapping sometime then?"

"Tomorrow at three, Taki's. Be there," he voiced, holding the gates of the elevator open for her.

Ryse slipped through with a small, mischievous smile. "Are you asking me out on a date, mister J?" she sang, giving him a playful chocolate brown wink.

Jace smirked, looking vaguely impressed. "I have to say, Lovell, you've got your way with words."

"I don't hear a denial," she continued, eying him carefully. The elevator ground to a shuddering halt. She cranked the doors open. "Oh and I prefer to think of it as something along the lines of intelligent."

They made small talk while Jace expertly avoided her questions as to where this mystery destination was. Caught up in the casual conversation, Ryse hadn't noticed where the winding path they'd taken had led. Now, she noticed the old, abandoned warehouses, the empty street despite the blaring daylight, the stench that wafted around them. He'd led her downtown to where the vampire nest was - the Hotel Dumont. Ryse was appalled. "Jace?" she hissed, voice deep and hoarse in warning. She struggled to keep a level head."Just what exactly have you got swirling in that blond head of yours? I am not-"

His lips met each other in mild irritation. "By the Angel," he said, grabbing a hold of her wrist and tugging her right past the vampire-infested hotel. "Have a little faith. Any louder and we might as well have waltzed right into that nest. A lovely lunch with Raphael isn't really what I'm looking for at the moment. Unless, of course, miss Ryse Lovell is hiding something from me." He gave her an expectant look.

"Don't be ridiculous," Ryse scoffed, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. She felt stupid. Of course Jace wasn't going to march the both of them right New York's coven of vampires. How could she be foolish enough to think that?

As if reading her thoughts, Jace pressed his lips into a small smile. "You doubted me. Now I'm hurt." Those beautiful features contorted into an expression of mock hurt. "You know how you can make it up to me?" Ryse narrowed her eyes. 'Making it up' to Jace was never an easy feat. Last time he'd asked her to scale the Institute walls while tipsy. Thank goodness it'd started raining and he'd called off the stunt.

Ryse sighed. "Do I want to know?"

Wordlessly, he dragged her into one of the empty warehouses and kicked the door shut. It complained like an old lady before closing with a loud bang. Momentarily, he gazed into her eyes, baring his feelings to the young woman. And then his lips descended on hers. The kiss was hot, hard and quick. But it was enough for Ryse to understand him, the depths of his feelings and how much he'd missed her while she was comatose.

Ryse was slightly stunned. Truthfully, she hadn't expected her first kiss after waking up to have played out, well, like this. She supposed it was a nice change of pace though.

"Did I pass?" she whispered a little breathlessly, forehead touching his. Jace smirked, visibly happy perhaps for the first time in a long time.

"Debatable," he replied fondly.

"Better prove myself then." And she pressed her lips against his once more. This kiss was gentle, slow and sweet. It represented all the longing she felt for him, all the love she held for him within now and for as long as she lived. _As long as I live_, she thought sadly. _I won't be living for much longer._

Pushing those thoughts out of her head, she pulled away a little reluctantly. "How did I do this time?"

His breath caught slightly at his throat as he said, "Not too shabby, but it could be even better. Practice makes perfect."

She smiled. "Practice could be in a much better place too," she whispered in his ear, gazing around the warehouse. "Don't tell me you dragged my butt all the way here to do this."

He chuckled then and pulled away, fingers laced with hers. "Well, this was just a momentary distraction. I could do with some distracting. But no, it's not what I brought you here for." He lifted a bony finger and pointed at the shattered glass that carpeted the cement floor. "Look," he commanded.

For a moment, Ryse was lost. All she saw were pieces of glass. Some looked like they might have been parts of a chandelier or perhaps an elaborate chalice. Frowning, she opened her mouth... and closed it again.

Each and every little piece caught the sunlight shafting in through the dirty window, reflecting it, refracting it. The result was stunning. Miniscule rainbows overlapped one another, blanketing the surface of the floor like a mist of color. Jace, seeing her expression, grinned and stepped into the broken glassware. They crunched under his boots. But from her point of view, it looked like he was walking on a myriad of colors. _A sea of colors. Sounds like something right out of a myth._

She struggled for the words to say. Nothing would suffice to describe this phenomenon. After several moments of dumbfounded silence, she finally managed, "They should change the expression 'walking on sunshine' to 'walking on rainbows.'"

He shook his head. "You've got a horrible sense of humor, you know that? Maybe you should start taking lessons from me." He held his hand out to her, inviting her into his embrace.

"I'll choose to ignore that," she said, taking a tentative step forward. The floor looked almost too good to be stepped on. She almost felt guilty for intruding. "Unless it's free of charge." Her foot landed amongst shards of glass; they were sharp and threatened to slice her foot to ribbons. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Just then, Jace caught her and pulled her into his warm embrace. "Playing with broken glass is dangerous, young lady."

Ryse grinned widely. "I like the danger."

They shared another passionate kiss. Above them stretched broken tube lights. Below them stretched the river of colors. And smack in the middle of them both was the most wonderful thing Ryse could imagine. _Being together with Jace._

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Thanks guys! :D I love you all and we're not even really into the story yet, haha! :D


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